Edmund d



E, fn; NORCROSS.

Het-Air` Furnace.

Patented Feb. 8. |870.

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tatrd (t-atea aan l apta.

Letters Patent No. 99,585, elated February 8, 1870.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making of the same.

To all to 'whom these presents shall come:

Y Be it known that I, EDMUND D. Noncnoss, of Augusta, inv the county of Kennebec, and State of Maine, have made an invention 0i' certain new and useful Improvements in Air-Heating Furnaces; and do hereby declare the `following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, due reference being had `to the accompanying drawings, making'- part of this specificatio'n, and in Which.-

Figure l is a perspective representation, and

Figure 2, a vertical section of an air-heating apparatusembodying the features which comprise my invention. Y

In originating the invention herein described, and

which constitutes the subject-matter of this patent, I

have consulted economy, both in the original cost of the apparatus, and in the amount of fuelconsumed by it, the construction of the furnace being such that I obtain a very large radiating-surface, and distribute this surface atV the most available point for reception of heat evolved directl y from theincaudescent fuel in the fire-pot, as well as from the smoke and gaseous products ot' combustion escaping from such tire-pot, thus enablingr me to thoroughly consume the carbon of the fuel, and secure the greatest amount of heat from a given weight ofcoal` Various improvements in the mechanical construction ofau air-heating device `have made themselves manifest in the course of the experiments which have resulted in my present invention, and these improvements will .he herein duly explained.

The invention consists, primarily, in an arrangement of the tire-pot and its surmountng heat-radiating dome, and a plurality of heat-conducting lines, whereby the s molre and hot gases are caused to descend from the dome to the yproximity of the lower portion of the exterior of the fire-pot and ash-pit, and

to course about them before entering the smoke-es- .cape pipe,fthus, in their passage through and exit from the furnace, parting with their latent heat, which is eliminated from them into the hot-air chamber of the device. y.

Secondarily, my present invention consists in a peculiar construction, as well as application of the grate, whereby not only clinkers which may collect are ground or reduced yto such small bulk as to readily escape with the ashes, but the necessityof the use of a poker is avoided, and I am enabled to entirely remove the grate from the lfurnace, sh'ould occasion Vor necessity dictate, or to tilt it into an inclined position, to remove stones, &c.

i Thirdly, and as a matter of mechanical construction, this invention will be found -to consist iu a mode of suspending the lower encircling chamber or conduit from the ovcrhanging periphery of the dome, in such manner or by such means thaty changes in condition of the lues which constitute the'suspensories, by reason Vof variations in temperature, shall not loosen or injure the joints between the parts, as hereinafter explained.

-In the drawings which accompany this specification, and which illustrate my invention, I have represented, at A, a furnace, of which a is` the fire-pot, and b the ash-pit, the door of the former being shown at c, and

that of thelatter at d, the forni and arrangementof i the said lire-pot and ash-pit being substantially the -same as in many other furnaces in use, and to which no point of novelty attaches itself.

lhe door c of the fuel-supply throat or chute e is preferably lined or faced with tin, which is a good noliconductor of heat, the lining or facing being punctured at its lower part with a series of `air-inlets, through which, and a register made in the door, oxygen is admitted to the tire-pot, to aid in consuming the gases therein.

The fire-pot a is surmountcd by or prolonged into an upright cylinder, f, this cylinder terminating at top in a semi-flattened -spheroidal dome or radiator, g, this radiator being provided, at any suitable point in its area, with a horizontal smoke-pipe, h, the purpose of this pipe being to afford a direct draught to the apparatus when kindliug a new or enlivening a spent fire.

The periphery of the domeg is considerably in 'exi cessof that of the cylinder f, and to the under part of this overhangiug periphery, I secure the upper extremities of a series of upright tubes or radiatingues, i i i, Sto., of comparatively small diameter, while I attach the lower ends of these tubes to the top of a horizontal yoke-shaped conduit or radiating-chamber, j, which nearly encircles the ash-pit, and perhaps the lower part ci' the lire-pot, and for a considerable part of its extent is concentric or thereabout with the dome g, a iiee communication being afforded throughout the said dome g, the pipe t, and hase-conduitj.

I secure the upper extremities of the pipe i t', dre., to the dome g, in a peculiar and novel manner, that is, by means of short rods or bolts lf, extending through ears or lugs l l', Stg., cast upon the'dome h, and upon cach flue, as represented, the base or radiator 7' being secured to the pipes in like manner, by means of bolts m m', 85e., and lugs a a', Ste., the said lugs being cast, respectively, upon each end of the pipes, and upon a contiguous part of the radiator j.

This radiator thus becomes suspended from the dome, and is free to move with the pipes t' t, dac., under any elongation or contraction of the same, by reason of variations of temperature, thus efectually guarding against loosening of the joints at each end of the pipes or other localities, and maintaining, un-

der all conditions and at all times, a perfectly tight joint, against' leakage of gas to the hot-air chamber of the furnace, it being understood that 4the joints between the various parts are properly packed with a suitable cement.

By suspending the base- 'adiator j from the dome g, I obviate a very great, if not insurmountable objection, heretofore found to exist in a rigid union of any kind of such parts, as the expansion and contraction of the pipes, inseparable `from their nature and service, soon loosen the joints, and permit of escape of gas to the hot-air chamber of the furnace.

Each extremity, and, it may be, the centre of the base-radiator j, are to be provided with doors, to per-A mit of removal of soot or other matter which may collect therein, or to regulate the admission of air to its interior, for the purpose of partially checking the draught upon the fire.

The smoke-flue h, leading from the dome g, unites with a vertical flue or pipe, o, erected upon one extremity of the radiator j, and communicating therewith, the said horizontal pipe h being provided with a suitable damper, p.

The grate which I have adapt-ed in the presentinstance, possessesseveral points of novelty in its construction, aud in its combination with the fire-pot and ash-pit of the furnace.

Such grate is composed, iu general, of two portions c I1', one of which, the upper, a, forms the grate proper, and is in form substantially of anannulns, with an enclosed barred surface, such bars being arranged radially or in parallelism, as may be deemed best.

The lower portion b of the grate is composed' of several radial or peripheral arms or bars c c', c', emanating from a central head or block, d', the two portions a b being pivoted together in such manner that the former may be partially rotated upon or with respect to the latter, by which means both an abrading anda crushing action is exerted upon the clinkers which may form, and which' otherwise collect and remain upon the grate.

The lower portion or half b ofthe grate is provided with several integral outstanding or lateral prongs or arms e e e", the purpose of these prongs being to rest upon ribs or ledges j" ff, formed upon or applied to the inner walls of the ash-pit of the furnace, and immediately below the fire-pot.

Furthermore, and in completion of the grate, its lower portion b' is constructed with a long handle or lever, y', extending out from its front part, and somewhat to one side of its centre, the purpose of this handle being not only to impart semi-rotary reciprocatiou or shakes to the lower part of the gra-te, but to tilt such grate into a sloping position, for the purpose of removing stones or other injurious or noncombustible substances which may collect in or below the fuel in the tire-pot, the side-prongs or trunions c' c', before mentioned, serving as a turning-point, to facilitate this movement of the grate.

When the grate are in a normal orhorizontal position, the free end of the handle g should be lodged upon a hook or stud atlixed tothe .wall of the ash.- pit.

The employment of a grate, made as above described, dispenses with the necessity of employing a poker to clear the fire, and permits of this clearing without escape of dustfrom the furnace.

lts construction and operation are such that it may be removed instantly and at any time from the ashpit, should necessity or desire suggest it, thus enabling a new grate to be introduced, without disturbance to the furnace 'in general.

ihe operation of an air-heating apparatus, organized a's before explained, is as follows:

Upon tirstigniting fuel within the fire-pot, the damper p is to beadjusted in such manner as to open free coinn'iunicatiou between the tire-pot and dome, and the smoke-discharge ilue, in order to produce great draught.

The fuel being sniiciently ignited, this damper is to be partially or wholly closed, when the smoke and hot gases from the incandescent fuel are deflected dowmvard/through the pipes or dues-t i, 85o., thence into the base-radiator or conduit j, and from lthence into the uprightsmoke-escape `flue o, having, in their transit, parted with their latent heat, which is diffused by radiation .from the dome g, pipes i i, and base j, into the hot-air chamber of the furnace.

An equable draught and temperature are maintained throughout the series of pipes it', although, at rst sight, it might appear that those nearest the smokedischarge hue would attain the greater tempe atm-e.

The portion of the base-radiator j, at or near the fire-pot and ash-pit, as well as its larve heat-radiating area, in combination with the pipes t i, enables me to convey the smoke and gases at once away from the smoke-discharge flue, and by conducting them through a tortuous or indirect passage, entirely extract from them their latent heat, thus economizing greatly the consumption of coal, and securingr the bestv possible results. l.

I am thus enabled, not only to secure a very large amount of radiating surface in very small comp-.uative compass, but to locate this surface where it shall come in direct contact with the atmospheric air at the bottom ofthe air-chamber oftlie apparatus, and where it shall receive the greatest amount of hea-t from the fuel. v y

The construction of this furnace is very simple, which fact adds to its other virtues that of very low cost.

As it contains no complexity of parts,- it is very readily cleaned, thus doing away with thenecessity of y dismembering it annually'.

A sliding or adjustable'collar should be applied to the direct smoke-flue, iu order to compensate for expansion and contraction of parts, but for which provision, much injury would ensue to the brick-work in' which the apparatus is enclosed.

`1. The arrangement,about the ash-'pit and lower part of the hot-air chamber of an air-heating furnace, of a jacket or equivalent device, constituting ali-eatradiating surface, communicating with the `tire-box, so as to receive the heat and other products of combustion evolved from the fuel, substai'itially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. 'In an air-heating furnace having a considerable portion ofk its heat-rauliatiug surface in the form of a box or conduit disposed at or nearthe bottom of its hot-air ehambeiywand about or near its ash-pit', suspending this radiator froni the dome by upright dues, in such manner that variations iurlen'gth of these lines shall not result in loosening of or injury to the joints between such tlues and dome 'and radiatoror other part, for the purpose explained.

3. rlhe mode herein described of uniting the dome g, pipes t', and base-rzuliator or box j, that is, by means of the short rods or vbolts It' and in, and theears Z'l a n', or their equivalents, for the purpose explained.'

4. The combination and arrangement. of the upright i'lues 'i `if, dome g, yoke or conduit j, and smoke-l ilue o, in manner and for the purpose as hereinbefore explained.

5. In combination with the re-pot and dome of an air-heating furnace, a range of upright tlues, when one end-pipe of such range is in communication with `lower its front edge, for convenience in removing elinkthe interior of the dome, and with a closed ue or ers, non-combustible matte-rs, 8m., when such great conduit extending about the lower part of the fireis capable of being entirely removed from suc-h furbox or ashpit, and"the opposite end-pipe in communace, i nication with al smoke-discharge ilue and the said conduit, essentially as explained.

6. In en air-heating or other apparatus, applymg Witnesses: the grate to the furnace thereof, in such manner as to WILLIAM HQWOODBURY,

BENJ. F. GARLIN.

EDMUND D. NORGROSS. 

